The Right Hire Can Shift the Standard

I was meeting with a team for their planning offsite, and they shared a story that caught my attention. They were talking with another group who had recently made a bold hire. On paper, it was just one addition. But in practice, it changed everything.

"A rising tide lifts all boats." – John F. Kennedy

The new person didn’t just bring skill. They brought energy, tenacity, and grit. They became a visible example of what was possible. And suddenly, the rest of the team realized they had been showing up with a level of complacency. This one hire shifted the standard — and raised the performance of everyone around them.

That’s the ripple effect of great hiring. The right addition doesn’t simply take pressure off the team or “do the work.” They elevate. They raise the bar, not only by what they produce but by what they inspire.

Too often, when teams feel overwhelmed, they default to survival mode. They hire a body — anyone to relieve the immediate pressure. While that may patch today’s hole, it rarely creates tomorrow’s growth. Short-term fixes keep you afloat; they don’t lift the tide.  And you are often stuck with that not-so-great hire for a long time….

So ask yourself:

• Are you hiring to survive — or to thrive?

• Do your top performers have opportunities to lead by example, showing others what’s possible?

• Are you asking whether a new hire will simply fill a gap, or whether they’ll reshape the culture of what your team expects of itself?

  
  

Great hiring isn’t a reaction to pressure. It’s a growth strategy. It’s how you future-proof your business.

You can teach skills, but it is harder to teach values, mindset and drive. The people you bring don’t just impact their role, they can shift what the entire team believes is possible. 

The tide is going to rise somewhere. The real question is: will it rise because of the intentional talent you’ve chosen to invest in?

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-Complacency stagnates. Reframe standard. Explore endless possibilities. Live inspired.-